We are remiss. It’s been a bit since we’ve blogged about blogs. We shall make up for it today, because we are so in the mood to hop from one to the next, soaking up the ambience, letting them tempt us, delighting in the ones that tell us things we don’t know. Are you game?

Have you visited Racked? Right now it — and many New Yorkers — are being harassed by Topshop, which (ta-da!) finally opens in Soho tomorrow after partying tonight. Apparently the Topshop vehicle - sort of a pink ice-cream truck-looking thing with doodling all over it (above) — was full of Topshop totes with gift cards tucked inside in amounts from $5 to $500, and they’ve been driving around, Twittering their locations and giving the tote bags away.

Oh, how we wish we were being harassed in this manner. When Racked isn’t blogging about Topshop and linking to photos of it in Glamour), it’s walking around at street level, wondering if Chanel is pulling an April Fools’ prank (right), watching the Derek Lam construction permits, and noticing things like the windows at Moschino or the Alice + Olivia sale in Midtown. We cannot even (more…)

We’re not asking you to feel sorry for us, but it’s not easy to look at collection after collection of beautiful designer clothes without feeling . . .  like shopping. Sure, more than a few of the fall Paris designs are a bit wacky, but there are plenty of beautiful dresses, coats, shoes, boots, etc. to drool over. 

Unfortunately, these items are quite far from our economic reach. So we stamp our fairly high heel and go through one last bit of torment. There are a few of our favorite things from the runways of Paris:

1. We now understand why Balmain is the design house of choice for the very rich, ultra-skinny, edgy party girls around the world. The pointed shoulders, the skin-tight glittering tiny dresses (see them at Style.com), the draped, full harem pants, the brashness of it all. If you can afford it, and you can wear it, go for it.  (more…)

In the aftermath of the fall 2009 runway shows in Paris, we have searched through the rubble and come up with five things worth looking at again:       

1. Thigh-high boots. They’re everywhere, they’re black, they’re brown, they’re laced, they’re skin tight and there’s something amazingly sexy about them. Sometimes they look like leather leggings. Putting them on could be a little tricky. How many times have you struggled with a regular pair of tight boots? We loved them from Stella McCartney (and they’re not even leather!), Chloe, Hermes and Vuitton.   

2. This Balenciaga outfit — a shimmering crystal top and a soft, draped and pleated satin skirt. In case you didn’t know, Nicholas Ghesquiere’s designs are hot, and this is the signature look from the fall show. We love the soft, perfectly draped-at-the-hip rich satin skirt, and that shirt is a crystal-laden killer. Unfortunately, we’ve heard the top alone will cost more than $50,000. So we probably won’t be wearing that one this autumn.  (more…)

A little quilting, a little bit of chain, and the next thing you know, you’ve sold 10,000 handbags that look just a little bit like Chanel.

The bags (above), which cost about £8 (that’s about $11.50 USD) and are available in black, bright pink and metallic gold, are flying off the shelves in the UK’s budget clothing store Peacocks. They resemble a Chanel bag that costs closer to £1,500 (about $2,270 USD), with the main difference being, of course, the absence of the interlocking Cs that make up the Chanel logo. And the fact that they’re not made by Chanel.

“This is by far our most popular bag,” said a Peacocks spokesman. ”Since it was launched at the start of the year, it’s been a runaway success. We’re even ordering in more stock in a wider range of colors.”

(Actually, he said colours, but we translated.)

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Yes, we posted an item a few days ago saying Ray-Ban’s Wayfarers are the coolest, celebrity-loved form of sunglasses. But — news flash – the Ray-Bans may be taking a back seat to another style. 

The new it eyewear? Very, very large oval sunglasses.

At New York’s fall fashion week last September, editors were everywhere in these John Lennon-inspired-then-supersized  round glasses. Yes, we (more…)

It’s winter. We know this. We have moved through denial and into acceptance. But we are tired of clouds and dark neutral fabrics. We want sunshine, and color for the sake of color. We need a handbag that doesn’t pout, one that announces our arrival with glee. So, we bring you bags in the spectrum of the rainbow, which brighten your winter wardrobe and bring a promise that spring is in the wings.

At first blush:

Prada’s pink nylon bow clutch ($636, was $795, above) at Bluefly.

Jimmy Choo’s fuschia pleated satin Cent bag ($796, was $995, left) at Bluefly.

  (more…)

The Style Insider could stand to gain from a few fashion resolutions. Despite our sage advice for you, we’re as bad as everyone about adding new wardrobe items, getting rid of things we’ll never wear, ‘fessing up to what fits and what doesn’t, what looks good and what doesn’t.  

Thus, our collective brain trust has come up with 10 resolutions for 2009. Perhaps some apply to you: 

1. Act as if we are French. The French have it nailed when it comes to wardrobe and style. So we will proceed with a red beret and perfectly tailored clothes. A

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